CxO Lunch: RCEP and its implications for trade and business on March 16th

Tom is Regional Director, Asia at The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). He is an expert on politics and economics in Asia, with specific interests in regional geopolitics, public policy and China’s political economy. Tom is a frequent commentator in the international media, talks regularly at conferences and events, and has published on a range of subjects in relation to Asia and China. His experience and deep knowledge help organisations and businesses make sense of the rapid changes in the region. As Regional Director, Tom leads a team of analysts based across the Asia. He is responsible for ensuring the EIU’s analysis and forecasts for countries in the region are as accurate and insightful as they can be for clients, and delivered in a timely and accessible way. Tom is based in Beijing, where he has lived and worked for the best part of a decade. He joined the EIU in 2011 and prior to his current role was Principal Economist, China. Tom holds an MPhil in International Relations and a BA in Modern History, both from the University of Oxford. His work experience outside the EIU includes a spell as a researcher in the UK Parliament, where he worked on the UK-China relationship, and roles with the China-Britain Business Council, Oxford Analytica and the Foreign Policy Centre. Tom also studied Chinese at Peking University and held a research fellowship at its Institute of International and Strategic Studies, funded by the MacArthur Foundation.

Tatiana Prazeres, PhD, is Senior Fellow at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, China. Previously, she was Senior Advisor to the Director-General of the WTO (2013-2018) and Secretary of Foreign Trade of Brazil (2011-2013). She writes a weekly column on international affairs for Folha de S. Paulo, one of Brazil's most read newspapers. She is also a Member of the Advisory Board of the Geneva School of Economics and Management at the University of Geneva. She holds a PhD in International Relations, and degrees in Law and International Relations. In 2014, she was recognized by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader.

Ms. Su Chang is a senior associate at King & Wood Mallesons. She is among the small number of lawyers in private practice who advises Chinese authorities on a variety of international trade matters. Over the past nine years, she has acted for China's MInistry of Commerce (MOFCOM) in a number of high-profile disputes arising under the agreements of the WTO, including consultations, appearances before dispute settlement panels, and appearances before the WTO Appellate Body. Su Chang also counsels government agencies on international trade policy and matters arising from international trade and investment treaties. For instance, she was engaged by MOFCOM to monitor the progress of the U.S. Section 301 investigation against China, and was retained as the Ministry's counsel for the US-China bilateral investment treaty negotiations, which took place between 2012-2017. She was also engaged to undertake research projects relating to the state-owned enterprise chapter of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Alfredo is responsible for overseeing The Economist Corporate Network in Beijing. Based in China since 2013, he has focused on analysing the business implications of policy, economic and political developments for companies investing and operating in China, and in the broader Asian region. This with the aim of distilling complex issues and conveying clear takeaways on how to capture business opportunities and respond to emerging challenges.

Before joining The Economist Corporate Network, Alfredo was Associate Director for KPMG's Global China Practice, where he led and contributed to numerous thought leadership projects, including flagship reports, customised business briefings, and policy proposals for Chinese authorities. He also played a large role in events programming and outreach, including leading the design and coordination of high-profile events aimed at senior executives. Prior to that, Alfredo worked for J Capital Research, Eurasia Group and the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Alfredo has a Master of Science in Foreign Service (MSFS) from Georgetown University, and a BA in Political Science and International Relations from Mexico's Center of Research and Teaching in Economics (aka. CIDE).